As the number and variety of television transmissions has increased, the need to restrict and supervise the television viewing by children has also increased. At a young age children are able to learn to use remote control transmitters to turn television sets on and off and to select channels. When parents are not present, children are able to change channels which carry programs which may not be considered appropriate for children.
Devices exist which are aimed at controlling the amount of television that a child may watch. For example Recoton Canada Ltd. markets a product having a switch which is connected between the television and the cable or antenna supplying the signal to the television. The television is only able to be operated when the switch is turned on. When the switch is off the television screen is blank. The device cannot be disconnected without the use of a key.
Such devices do not address the situation where a child is permitted to watch television but restrictions on the types of programs which the child may view are imposed by a parent or other caregiver.
Thus a programmable remote control transmitter which permits access to a programmer-defined set of television channels which set may not be altered by a child, is desirable.